What are the Town Archives?
The Town Archives are a collection of both contemporaneous and historical public and private records. They reflect both the Town of Lincoln's cultural heritage and its civic history.
Lincoln Town Hall |
In 2008, the Library and the Town Clerk’s Office’s entered into a formal agreement, integrating their collections and undertaking joint respon-sibility for the management of the Town Archives.
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Lincoln Public Library |
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Where are the Town Archives located?
Town Offices Basement |
Records have historically been stored separately, with contemporaneous public records housed at Town Offices and the Library holding primarily private records and older public records.
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Library Vault
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What are the Archives comprised of?
Official and unofficial records, formats including:
- Historic Maps
- Manuscripts, ledgers, diaries
- Rag dolls
- hand illustrations
- Audio cassettes
- paperbacks
- Correspondence, index cards
- Photographs
- Municipal records
- Computer print-outs
- reel-to-reel tapes
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Why is it important/ why does it matter?
The correct storage and upkeep of the Town Archives is crucial, especially concerning local, state, and regional contexts. Time marches on and history will continue, improper storage and negligent preservation techniques put important records at risk, leading to irreparable damage and and possible destruction of material.
With the advancements in technology these days records can be digitized to further enhance their storage, as well as many records are now solely digital - these types of records also require proper handling as certain digital formats may become obsolete very quickly if not kept up with.
What's needed for Archival Survival?
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- Safe Place to store records
- Public Access
- Proper preservation & cataloging
- Collection & retention procedures
- Database creation & management
- User assistance and security
- Community Support!
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